Grantham &
District
Volunteer Bureau
Welcome to the all new Grantham & District web-site the purpose of this site is let you know what we can do for you !!!!
Your Volunteer Bureau (also known as a local volunteer development agency)?
Put very simply, a Local Volunteering Development Agency is an agency, which works with individuals, groups and organisations to support and develop volunteering in the local community.
Why does volunteering need to be supported and developed ?
Because volunteering can do so much more than many people realise. Among other things , it reduces social isolation, provides essential services, helps people into paid work and builds local communities.
All that from doing an afternoon in a charity shop?
Charity shops are one of the most visible users of volunteers, but there are an enormous variety of others. Volunteers work throughout our society in a huge range of vital roles such as drivers, teachers, active members of community groups, prison visitors, carers gardeners and managers.
Isn't that just a way of getting people to do something for nothing ?
Volunteers don't work for nothing. There are numerous rewards: they can improve existing skills, or learn new ones; earn a qualification, or reference for a paid job; make new friends; increase their self esteem by contributing to their community; and receiving ongoing support and training in their voluntary role.
But surly people can just find out what's available and sign up, so why do you need a Local Development Agency? LVDA
Because a LVDA doesn't only point people in the direction of volunteering opportunities. For example, it works with organisations which use volunteers to ensure that the volunteers rights are respected; it promotes volunteering through local events and the media; it strives to break down barriers to volunteering for marginalized groups such as young people, those with disabilities those from ethic minority groups; it provides a voice for volunteers to local agencies and multi-agency groups addressing issues related to volunteering.
That all sounds very airy-fairy; what's the real point?
The point is to work towards a society where everyone is fully aware of the the scope and the benefits of volunteering in their community.
Does everyone have to volunteer?
Of course not ! If people had to do it they wouldn't be volunteers! Volunteering is a positive choice for many people, but some may not want to volunteer, and those who do volunteer may not do so all the time. But everyone needs full accurate information about volunteering to be able to make a real choice about whether or not to take it up.
The specification for an ideal local development agency.
Every LVDA has six core functions through which it provides support for individual volunteers and volunteer involving organisations. The way that support is provided by each LVDA depends on the composition and the needs of the local community.
The core functions are:
The functions do, of course overlap in their overall purpose within the work of an LVDA. The development functions is the central one, and all the others contribute to developing volunteering. Other examples include promoting volunteering which can assist with enable participation, while campaigning contributes to the provisions of information. However, although the functions are not discrete they are defined separately in this document to assist understanding.
Every LVDA make a positive contribution to the community in which it operates but every LVDA can improve the quality of the service it offers, and work towards becoming an IDEAL LVDA.
For further information click here
Our obligations in graphic format click here
Our obligations in graphic format Grantham & District VB click here
